BDSM Bedtime Stories Season Three Episode Five ~ Joely Sue Burkhart!

Today we have a guest author, Joely Sue Burkhart for an interview.  Before you read the interview, listen to the sexy excerpt of her new book, The Billionaire Submissive.

La Crimson Femme: Welcome Joely!  So glad you could join us.  Your books are quite popular with many of us in the BDSM group.  Today, we get question you!  Let’s start with something easy. What is your favourite colour? 

Joely: Red and black.

La Crimson Femme: So let’s start off, which series is your favourite? 

Joely: The books of my heart will always be the Shanhasson series.  They were the first books I wrote - the first time I started dreaming about what I wanted to do.  I didn't know what I was doing at the time - I just wrote from the heart without any knowledge of rules or genres or anything.  I re-read them occasionally just to keep in touch with that heart and joy that flowed before the business side became so important to manage as well.

La Crimson Femme: Oh, that is how I found you!  I love that series.  Who is your favourite character in your books? 

Joely: Gregar is definitely my favorite character.  There's a little bit of him in every hero I write.  Some more civilized and polished, but that wicked edge is hopefully still there.    I love his danger, but also his sense of humor, and of course his unswerving willingness to sacrifice the last drop of his blood to keep his beloved safe from all harm.  Including himself.

La Crimson Femme: Oh, I do like Gregar too.  This leads me to the question about BDSM.  Is there a specific BDSM combination you prefer to write about?  Femdom versus Maledom?

Joely: I really like all combinations.  It's more the story and where it takes me.  What the characters help me explore.  I'll write either depending on the needs of the character.

La Crimson Femme: What is the most surprising feedback you’ve received from your fans?

Joely: A year or so ago I did a Skype book club with a BDSM book club in Arizona.  Man was it ever fun (and I'd totally be up for that if anyone's book club would like to do it again) - but I was also terrified.  I'm not in the lifestyle.  I obviously find all aspects of BDSM interesting and I've researched as carefully as possible and read widely, but I was afraid I had made a mistake somewhere unknowingly and would be called out for it.  Of course that was the first question they asked and they were pleasantly shocked that I'm not in the lifestyle.  That made me insanely pleased and relieved.  That night I quit worrying so much about what was right/wrong and if I might make a mistake -- and just concentrate on getting to the heart of the story. I just have to trust the magic.

La Crimson Femme: Wow!  That is awesome.  I find your BDSM undertones to be quite enjoyable.  Which series do you have the most reader feedback?

Joely: I've gotten the most feedback on the Connagher series, but it's also been around since 2009.

La Crimson Femme: What is something you want to write about but you are afraid it won’t be well received?

Joely: I was really worried about how Her Grace's Stable would be received.  Pony play isn't that widely available, so I just wasn't sure.  I also tend to lean toward darker characters.  e.g. I love assassins and anti-heroes.  My most favorite character ever (Gregar in the Shanhasson series) dreams about killing the heroine while he's making love to her.  Not exactly Romancelandia material.  I have a trunk novel I occasionally pull out and work on where the hero is a stone-cold killer. I still don't know that I can pull off a romance for him but I really want to try.

La Crimson Femme: Oh!  I loved Her Grace’s Stable.  PONIES! PONIES! PONIES! I am intrigued with your stone-cold killer.  Hmmm.  So of all the worlds you’ve created, which one would you like to visit?  If there are more than one, share as to why you want to visit each one.

Joely: I'd love to take a ride with Sig, Lady Wyre, and Gil on their next adventure.  It's going to be SO MUCH FUN!  I love the mix of science and twisted history, the way society has been flipped completely around but is still so familiar. 

La Crimson Femme: Yay!  I can’t wait to read about their next adventure.  I like these three.  They are very hawt together.  Speaking of hawt, many of your sex scenes are super hot.  What is your inspiration for these scenes?  When you are stuck on a sex scene how do you get “unstuck”?

Joely: Oh, thank you!  *blushes*  I've always written detailed sex scenes even from the beginning.  No closed doors here!  For me, it's all driven by the characters.  What do they need?  What do they fear?  How can I make them vulnerable and peel back layer after layer until I get to the truth?  The best place to bring out that raw emotion is in the bedroom.

La Crimson Femme: With all these voices in your head, how do you decompress?  What do you in your free time?

Joely: Wrangle the three monsters (daughters ages 15, 12, 11) and mostly play taxi for them.  We also have two dogs and love driving out to my dad's farm to visit his horses.  Someday I'd like to garden (hoping to start one next spring.)

La Crimson Femme: The funs of real life!  Hope you can have a garden next year.  I love my garden and have to protect it from the wraskly rabbits and chomping chipmunks.  Speaking of reality, is there something in your books you wished were real?  If so, what is it and why?

Joely: I wish they were all real people.  It's so weird to have these living, talking, laughing people in my head and know they're not real.  They're all very much a part of me.  I think it would be awesome to sit down in a room and watch Conn and Victor tease each other, or see Lady Wyre play politics with Queen Majel, or sit down and have an exquisite dinner with Lilly and Donovan and just talk!

La Crimson Femme: Lady Wyre and Queen Majel are two who I’d love to watch play politics.  Following along that line, will you be writing any F/f femdom?  Why or why not?

Joely: I actually think I will write a f/f story someday, and since I do tend to write BDSM in just about everything, a femdom story is likely.  One of my best friends lost her marriage of ten years when she came out of the closet and I'd like to dedicate something to her.  Maybe a MFF to give her the happy ever after she missed out on - though she's very happy with her wife now!

La Crimson Femme: Go straight F/f with femdom. (no pun intended) Forget about the guy!  There are so few writers who write F/f and we have more and more requesting for this genre.  I know I’d love it.  Thank you again for stopping by!